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The SHIELD Console In Action

The first thing NVIDIA showed was the SHIELD device streaming some video. NVIDIA streamed Marvel’s The Avengers, and showed a few of the things the Android TV-based device could do when connected to the cloud. The video was paused on a scene with Chris Evans and Scarlett Johanssen standing on the deck of a hellicarrier and the actors’ faces were immediately recognized and linked to data like their IMDB profiles, filmographies, etc. NVIDIA also demoed the device streaming some music and browsing through media local media.

Android TV - Movies

Android TV Music

Of course gaming is a big part of the SHIELD Console as well. The device can stream games from a GeForce-powered PC to your television or from NVIDIA’s GRID service, just like NVIDIA’s SHIELD Tablet and Portable can. Native Android games will also run on the SHIELD Console. NVIDIA's plan is to offer a wide array of native Android titles in the SHIELD store, as well as leverage the company's relationships with game developers to bring AAA titles to GRID as soon as possible.

To show off some of the SHIELD Console’s gaming chops, NVIDIA brought out a number of gamer developers to demo AAA titles running on the SHIELD console (or running on GRID and streamed to the console). We saw Gearbox’s Borderlands The Pre-Sequel running. Croteam also came out onto the stage to show off The Talos Principle, which looked great.

Borderlands The Pre-Sequel

Jen Hsun also brought out Tim Willits, Studio Director at id. Willits showed off Doom 3 BFG Edition—which is basically everything they’ve released for Doom up to now. Doom 1 and Doom 2 are included as well. According to Willits, the SHIELD Console optimized version is the only official version of Doom on any Android platform. Enhancements were made to every level and expansion pack in the game; Willits called it the best version of Doom to date.

Crysis 3

Cevat Yerli, Founder, CEO and President of Crytek, came onto the stage after Willits and answered the question most gamers ask about a new gaming device—Can it play Crysis? Yerli demoed a Crysis 3 multi-player map running natively on the SHIELD console, and it also looked great. The demo ran at 30Hz (Doom was running at 60Hz), and in a fun turn of events, Jen Hsun’s character took our Yerli’s in a quick match.

The NVIDIA SHIELD console will leverage NVIDIA’s GRID Game-Streaming Service as well. When NVIDIA officially launches the service, which has been free on NVIDIA SHIELD Tablets and Portables up to now, they plan to offer multiple subscription levels. A free basic subscription will offer 720p / 30Hz streaming and access to a select group of games, while a premium edition of the service will be able to stream PC games at 1080p / 60Hz. One of the key benefits to NVIDIA’s GRID game streaming service—other than the graphics fidelity—is the ability to launch most games in about a minute. There’s no need for large downloads or time-consuming installs.

Unreal Engine 4 - Infiltrator Demo

A bevy of other game developers also graced the stage, including Michiteru Okabe, Producer of Resident Evil 2, Kenichiro Imaizumi of Konami who demoed Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeros, and Damien Monnier, Senior Game Designer from CD Projekt Red who showed off the beautiful, open-world RPG The Witcher Wild Hunt. And to close the show, Jen Hsun showed the impressive UE4-powered Infiltrator tech demo streaming from GRID to the SHIELD.

NVIDIA SHIELD will be available for $199 starting in May, which includes a SHIELD Wireless Game Controller. Optional accessories include the Bluetooth remote control mentioned earlier, additional game controllers and a vertical stand. Pricing wasn't disclosed on any of the accessories or GRID subscriptions.